I want to express my deep gratitude to our donors, volunteers, directors, staff, and everyone who supports The Almanor Foundation (TAF). Together, we have come a long way, and our hope is that the progress we continue to make inspires other rural areas and individuals alike.
Our mission to empower Plumas County by enhancing the economy, fostering community unity, securing and allocating resources effectively, and supporting community initiatives is more vital than ever. We are more than a foundation; we are a catalyst for change. TAF provides a platform for our community to embrace what it cares about, and it’s our job to ensure that we “stay the course” to create an environment of collaboration and engagement to see that mission fulfilled.
Reflecting on 2024: Significant Milestones
Looking back at 2024, we accomplished some significant milestones:
Set a comprehensive strategic direction in July for the 18 months through December 2025 to expand fund services, continue to champion attainable workforce housing, foster community leadership, and support and advance educational and vocational opportunities.
Installed a comprehensive accounting, fundraising, and grant management program, bringing greater stability to our operations.
Launched and facilitated the Plumas County Housing Council, addressing the critical need of attainable workforce housing in our community.
Added the ability to manage Endowment and Scholarship Funds, providing a new avenue for donors to create a lasting impact.
Introduced a vocational education initiative that promises to bring the force and resources of collaborative efforts to bear on our workforce needs.
Shared with non-profits and organizations across the county how our fund services can put them in the driver’s seat of their organization’s passion. By year-end, we had grown to serve 12 organizations with services that range from agency stewardships to scholarships and endowments.
Finalized policies and procedures for our programs, ensuring a solid foundation for growth.
Managed and finalized two large recovery grants, demonstrating our ability to deliver impactful results.
Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead
We faced challenges: staffing issues, the cancellation of the Chilly Chili Cook-Off to benefit the ice-skating rink due to weather and the Big Bopper Bash due to the Park Fire, and the retirement of two key board members. But challenges only made us dig deeper. This year the Chilly Chili Cook-off will take place rain or shine!
As we move forward into 2025, we are one-third of the way through our 18-month strategic plan. By the end of this year, we will set a direction for the next two to three years, ensuring we remain diligent in our efforts to fulfill our mission.
Join Us in Making a Difference
My goal by the end of 2025 is to have established a vibrant and diverse board composed of enthusiastic individuals from all corners of the county, eager to contribute and make a difference. To achieve that, we must embody the qualities of a healthy, thriving non-profit. We need a board with varied skills and perspectives and clear responsibilities. And we need to make leadership an attribute of recruitment. Our programs must be mission-centric, values-based, and have clear, measurable outcomes. Finally, we need to develop a “culture of storytelling” so that every one of us becomes an effective public champion for TAF.
I truly believe that Plumas County needs what we have to offer. The heart of TAF is in collaboration and facilitation. And we have the stuff to do this!
We started this journey in 2020 a bit messy, as start-ups usually are, and have now moved to a growing and healthy foundation. In the next few years, our goal will be to become a Community Foundation the people of Plumas County can rely on.
You may want to ask yourself… do you too want to be a part of this? So far, it has been a great and fulfilling ride! Care to join us?
Respectfully,
Susan Bryner
Chair, The Almanor Foundation
